Factors in the Self-Deception Questionnaire. Associations With Depression

Disagreement presently exists over whether depressed or nondepressed persons exercise more cognitive distortion on material about the self. A negative correlation between the Self-Deception Questionnaire (SDQ, Sackeim & Gur, 1978, 1979) and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI, Beck, 1967) has been cited as evidence that it is the nondepressed individuals who exercise more distortion (Sackeim, 1983). This negative correlation was replicated, and the SDQ was factor analyzed to determine which factors might account for the correlation with depression. The three largest factors, identified by content themes of relationships with parents, emotionality, and denial of tabooed activities, correlated reliably with the BDI. Discussion focused on whether these correlations reflect differences in self-deception that are associated with depression or differences in veridical responding between depressed and nondepressed subjects on those items in the SDQ. Suggestions for future research and possible therapeutic implications are also discussed.